Propeller blade adjusting system



Maw]! J. J. RING 1,952,566

PROPELLER BLADE ADJUSTING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 5. 193;

Joseph J. Ring, Wauwatosa, Wis,

assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application October 5, 1932, Serial No. 636,263 8 Claims. (01. 253-148) This invention relates in general to hydraulic energy translating devices of the adjustable blade propeller type, and more particularly to a propeller blade tilting servo-motor actuated by a motor driven pump.

In hydro-electric generating units having adjustable propeller blades it has been proposed to tilt the blades during operation by means of reduction gearing and an electric motor carried by the propeller shaft, however, in large units it is extremely difficult to provide reduction gearing strong enough to transmit the large forces necessary to tilt the blades and yet be sufficiently compact to be mounted within the propeller shaft or a gear housing carried thereby.

It is, therefore, an object of the instant invention to provide a hydraulic energy translating system having a rugged, compact servo-motor which is actuated by a motor driven pump and is carried by the propeller shaft.

Another object of this invention is .to provide a system of the above character having electrical means for stopping the pump motor at the end of travel of the piston.

A further object of this invention is to provide a system of the above character having means for maintaining the servo-motor cylinder completely filled with operating fluid.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a system of the above character having means for indicating the position of the propeller blades.

These and other objects and advantages are obtained by this invention, various novel features of which will be apparent from the description and drawing herein, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

An illustrative example of the application of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a hydro-electric gencrating unit partly in section embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view partly in section of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the servo-motor cylinder taken 90 from the view shown in Fig. 2.

The hydraulic energy-translating device specifically illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a generator 10 and a turbine 11 which are supported by a suitable foundation 12.. A servo-motor 13 is interposed between propeller shaft 15 and generator shaft 14 and an electric pump motor 16 is mounted on the upper end of generator shaft 14 for rotation therewith.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, propeller hub 17 is provided with a plurality of blades 18 which are rotatably journaled in roller bearings 19. Each blade is provided at its inner end with a crank 21 keyed thereto. Each crank is connected to adjusting block 23 by means of a link member 22. Propeller hub 17 is attached to propeller shaft 15 by means of a flanged connection. Propeller shaft 15 is provided with an axial bore adapted to receive propeller blade adjusting shaft 24. For a more complete disclosure of one form of blade tilting mechanism which may be used with the present invention reference may be made to Patent No. 1,685,756 issued September 7 25, 1928, to J. J. Ring.

The upper end of propeller shaft 15 is provided with an enlarged portion 25 which constitutes a cylinder member for servo-motor 13, cylinder 25 is preferably attached to generator shaft 14 by means of a flanged connection and it is to be 7 understood that this cylinder member may, if desired, also be attached to propeller shaft 15 in a similar manner. Blade tilting shaft 24 extends through a stuffing box 2'? and is attached to pis ton member'26. A pump 28 preferably of the gear type is mounted on the upper face of piston 26 and in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises upper plate 29, middle plate 31 and lower plate 32 which are suitably bolted to piston 26. The above described plates define a chamber within which gears 33 and 34 are arranged. Pump 28 is provided with conduit 35 which is in communication with the space below piston 26 and is also provided with a conduit 36 which is in communication with the space above said piston. A pump shaft 37 is suitably attached to gear 34 and extends through stuifing box 38 in the lower end of generator shaft 14. The space between pump shaft 37 and generator shaft 14 constitutes a chamber 39 for the storage of operating fluid for servo-motor 13. Operating fiuid may be introduced into chamber 39 by means of filler cap 12. A spring biased check valve 41 is arranged between storage chamber 39 and the upper chamber of servo-motor 13.

Pump motor 16 is attached to the upper end of generator shaft 14 by means of a tubular support 43. Motor support 43 is provided with one or more slots 44 through which indicator member 45 is adapted to slide, noting that the indicator member is carried by the upper end marks which cooperate with member 45 as shown 'hand after it has moved to its open po in Fig. 1, to indicate the position of the propeller blades during operation and at standstill. A drive shaft 46 is suitably connected to motor shaft 47 and is provided at its lower end with a splined connection which permits shaft 46 to telescope within pump shaft 37 when piston member 26 is moved up and down.

A-Iplurality of slip rings 48 are suitably mounted on motor support 43 and are electrically connected to the windings of motor 16 which is preferably of the three-phase type. A plurality of brushes 49 are carried by stationary brush support 51 and contact with the respective slip rings 48. The windings of motor 16 may be selectively connected to a suitable three-phase power line 52 through either switch'53 or 54. Push buttons 55 and 56 are provided for selectively energizing switches 53 and 54 from a suitable source of power 57. An overload relay 58 is provided with contacts in series with the source of power 57 and is energized from a current transformer 59.

The operation of the above described system is as follows. If it is desired to flatten the tilt of propeller blades 18, push button 56 may be operated to its lower position to close switch 54. Pump motor 16 is thereupon caused to rotate in such a direction as to transfer operating fluid from the lower chamber of servo-motor 13 to the upper chamber thereof thereby causing piston 26 to move upwardly. Upward movement of piston 26 is transmitted through rod 24, adjusting block 23, links 22 and to levers 21 thereby causing blades 18 to assume a more nearly horizontal position. If it is desired to increase the tilt of the propeller blades, push button 55 may be operated to close switch 53 thereby caus 1; motor 16 to rotate in an opposite directi a manner apparent from the above desell pump 28 will transfer operating fluid from lower side of piston 26 to the upper side is thereby causing blades 18 to assume a more :1 vertical position.

After propeller blades 18 have been moved to the desired position as indicated by indicator member 45 and the indicia on member 48, motor 16 may be stopped by the operator removing his hand from the selected push butto If the operator holds either push button ir s lower most position until piston 26 moves to s uppermost or lowermost position, pump motor 16 will become overloaded by reason of the continued operation of pump 28 thereby causing cverload 16 relay 58 to open thus stopping pump motor by opening switch 54 or 53. Overload relay is preferably of the type which must re Obviously, limit switches of known type in used to stop motor 16 at the limits of of piston 26 instead of overload relay 58.

If the reaction of the water on blades 18 is such as to continually bias piston .26 downwardly it is possible that a small amount of oil may leak through stuifing box 27. However, this leakage is compensated by means of check valve 41 which opens by reason of the reduction in pressure thus caused in the upper chamber. Similarly any air that might possibly leak into the servo-- motor cylinder may be discharged through check valve 41 and replaced with oil upon occurrence of reduction of pressure in the upper chamber of the servo-motor.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention ismerely illustrative and that many changes in form, construcshaft, a piston within said servo-motor cylinder,

aquantity of liquid within said cylinder, a propeller blade tilting rod extending from said piston through said hollow propeller shaft and operativtly connected to said blade tilting means, a rotary pump mounted on said piston, the inlet and outlet of said pump being on opposite sides of said piston, a rotary motor mounted above said generator, and pump driving means connected between said pump and said motor.

2. In combination a generator having a rotatable vertical hollow shaft, a hydraulic turbine arranged below said generator and having a rotatable propeller with tiltable blades, blade tilting means operatively connected to said blades, a hollow propeller shaft attached to said propeller, a servo-motor cylinder interposed between said hollow generator shaft and said hollow propeller shaft, piston within said servo-motor cylinder,

ty of liquid within said cylinder, a problade tilting rod extending from said pisrough said hollow propeller shaft to said b. de tilting means, a rotary pump mounted on d piston, the inlet and outlet of said pump 1 on opposite sides of said piston, a reversiiectric motor mounted on the upper end of generator shaft for rotation therewith, a scoping drive shaft connected between the rotor of said electric motor and said pump, and means for causing the rotor of said motor to rotate in a forward or reverse direction relative to said generator shaft so as to cause said pump to raise or lower said piston.

In combination a generator having a rotatable vertical hollow shaft, a hydraulic turbine arranged below said generator and having a rotatable propeller with tiltable blades, blade tilting means operatively connected to said blades, a hollow propeller shaft attached to said propeller, a servo-motor cylinder interposed between said hollow generator shaft and said hollow propeller shaft, a piston within said servo-motor cylinder, a quantity of liquid within said cylinder, a propeller blade tilting rod extending from said piston through said hollow propeller shaft to said blade tilting means, a rotary pump mounted on said piston, the inlet and outlet of said pump being on opposite sides of said piston, a reversible electric motor mounted on the upper end of w said generator shaft for rotation therewith, a

telescoping drive shaft connected between the esacec servo-motor cylinder, means for operatively connecting said piston to said adjustable blades comprising a longitudinally movable propeller blade adjusting rod connected to said piston, a quantity of fluid within said cylinder, a pump carried by said piston and operable to move said piston by transferring fluid from one side of said piston to the other side thereof, a motor mounted axially of. said propeller shaft, means for operatively connecting said pump and said motor, and means for selectively operating said motor in a forward or reversedirection.

5. In combination, a hydraulic energy translating device having an adjustable blade propeller, a propeller shaft attached to said propeller, a hydraulic servo-motor cylinder carried by said propeller shaft, a piston slidable within said servo-motor cylinder, means for operatively connecting said piston to said adjustable blades, 2, quantity of fluid within said cylinder, means for automatically maintaining said cylinder completely filled with fluid, a pump carried by said piston and operable to move said piston by transferring fluid from one side of said piston to the other side thereof, a motor mounted axially of said propeller shaft, means for operatively connecting said pump and said motor, and means for selectively operating said motor in a forward or reverse direction.

6. In combination, a hydraulic energy translating device having an adjustable blade propeller, a propeller shaft attached to said propeller, a hydraulic servo-motor cylinder carried by said propeller shaft, a piston slidable within said servo-motor cylinder, means for operatively connecting said piston to said adjustable blades, a quantity of fluid within said cylinder, means for automatically maintaining said cylinder completely filled with fluid, a pump carried by said piston and operable to move said piston by transferring fluid from one side of said piston to the other side thereof, a motor mounted axially of said propeller shaft, telescoping driving means connected between said motor and said pump, and means for causing said motor to operate in one or another direction so as to adjust the tilt of said propeller blades.

'7. In combination, a hydraulic energy translating device having an adjustable bladev propeller, a. propeller shaft attached to said propeller, a hydraulic servo-motor cylinder carried by said propeller shaft, a piston slidable within said servo-motor cylinder, propeller blade adiusting mechanism operatively connected between said piston and said adjustable blades, a quan-' tity of fluid within said cylinder, a pump carried by said piston and operable to move said piston by transferring fluid from one side of said piston to the other side thereof, a motor mounted axially of said propeller shaft, means for operatively connecting said pump and said motor, means for selectively energizing said motor for forward or reverse rotation, and means operable upon movement of said piston to its limit positions for deenergizing said motor.

8. In combination, a power transmitting shaft, 8. tiltable blade propeller attached to one end of said shaft, a flanged servo-motor cylinder attached to said shaft intermediate the ends thereof, an electric motor attached to the other end of said shaft, a piston within said servo-motor cylinder, means for operatively connecting said tiltable blades to said piston comprising a piston rod a rotary pump mounted on said piston, and driving means connecting said pump to said motor.

JOSEPH J. RING. 

